Adjustable roof mounting system

Abstract

An adjustable mounting system for mounting solar panels on roofs is disclosed. The system allows a user to mount the solar panels either with or without rails. The mounting assemblies are adjustable to allow the user to mount a base plate in a chosen location (either on a roof joist or other structural member or not) and to adjust the mounting location for the panel in as many as three axis of adjustment from the location of the base plate. A system for mounting and grounding the panels at the same time is also disclosed.

We claim: 
     
       1. A roof mount, comprising:
 a base plate having at least one mounting hole for receiving at least one screw for attaching said mounting plate to a roof surface, said base plate further including a first threaded attachment element; 
 a flashing member having a raised section with a flashing aperture and a flange extending about a periphery of a base of said raised section, said raised section defining a recess in a bottom surface of said flashing member sized to at least partially receive and surround said base plate when said flange rests on the roof surface; 
 an attachment body having first and second lateral edges and a second threaded attachment element configured to threadably engage said first threaded attachment element; and 
 a slide bracket having:
 first and second slots adapted to engage said first and second lateral edges of said attachment body, wherein said slots allow said slide bracket to move between first and second positions along a length of said first and second lateral edges; and 
 an attachment element disposed along a length of said slide bracket between said first and second slots for attaching an object to said slide bracket. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The roof mount of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said bottom surface of said recess of said flashing member is compressed against a top surface of said base plate when said first and second threaded attachment elements are threadably engaged. 
     
     
       3. The roof mount of  claim 1 , wherein said attachment body having said first and second lateral edges is a plate, wherein said second threaded attachment element is connected to a bottom surface of said plate. 
     
     
       4. The roof mount of  claim 3 , wherein said plate further includes third and fourth lateral edges, wherein said slide bracket is adapted to engage said first and second lateral edges in a first orientation and engage said third and further lateral edges in a second orientation. 
     
     
       5. The roof mount of  claim 3 , wherein said plate further comprises:
 a recess in said bottom surface surrounding said second threaded attachment element; and 
 a soft annular element disposed in said recess, wherein said soft annular element is compressed against a top surface of said flashing member when said first and second threaded attachment elements are threadably engaged. 
 
     
     
       6. The roof mount of  claim 1 , wherein said attachment element of said slide bracket comprises a threaded element. 
     
     
       7. The roof mount of  claim 6 , wherein said slide bracket further comprises:
 an elongated aperture extending along at least a portion of a length of said slide bracket between said first and second slots, wherein said threaded element is adapted for selective positioning along said elongated aperture. 
 
     
     
       8. The roof mount of  claim 7 , wherein a direction of movement of said threaded element along said elongated aperture is transverse to a direction of movement of said slide bracket along said first and second lateral edges. 
     
     
       9. The roof mount of  claim 7 , wherein said threaded element comprises a threaded nut having a threaded aperture and further comprising:
 a threaded bolt, wherein said threaded bolt is adapted to extend through said threaded aperture and engage a top surface of said attachment body, wherein upon engaging said top surface of said attachment body, said slide plate is fixedly positioned relative to said attachment body. 
 
     
     
       10. The roof mount of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one mounting hole further comprises:
 at least first and second mounting holes for receiving screws for attaching said mounting plate to a roof surface; and 
 of said base plate a raised area of said base plate between said at least first and second mounting holes, wherein said first threaded attachment element is disposed on said raised area. 
 
     
     
       11. The roof mount of  claim 1 , wherein said first threaded attachment element of said mounting plate comprises a threaded aperture.